Negroni Week celebrates classic drink, good causes: The Cocktail Hour

Posted May 28, 2014 at 4:00 PM

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A 2011 Negroni whipped up by Douglas Derrick -- one of many the founder of the Negroni Social has created over the years. The Nostrana event in part inspired Imbibe to create Negroni Week, and this year the Portland-based magazine is teaming up with Campari, the company that makes one of the three key ingredients in the drink. The other two are gin and sweet vermouth.
(Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian/2011)

In their second year, the organizers of Negroni Week started with a goal of signing up 500 bars.

But that number is fast closing in on 1,000 worldwide ahead of next week's event, which celebrates the classic cocktail while giving back to the community. The bars — including dozens in Portland (you can search for participating venues on the event's website) — all offer a Negroni on their menus and give at least $1 per drink sold to a charity of their choice.

"We're so excited and humbled by the response to this year's Negroni Week. It's amazing," says Karen Foley, founder-publisher of Imbibe, the Portland-based drinks magazine that launched Negroni Week last year and is teaming with Campari, the company that makes one of the three ingredients in a Negroni. The other two are gin and sweet vermouth.

"It's definitely one of my favorite cocktails, and it's a favorite throughout the Imbibe office," Foley says. "I love that it's such a simple recipe — three ingredients in equal parts — that yields one of the best flavor combinations. And I love that it's a drink that not only spans generations, but has the ability to continually capture new fans. It's also a perennial favorite of bartenders around the world, which is why so many of them are excited to rally around it for Negroni Week."

View full sizeNed Ludd is one of dozens of Portland bars that will take part in Negroni WeekCourtesy of Ned Ludd

This year's social, the fourth, takes place June 9. Nostrana is paying tribute to recipes from 12 prominent female chefs, including recent James Beard award winner Naomi Pomeroy of Beast and Nostrana's own Cathy Whims. The masquerade theme features the characters of Maurice Sendack, author of "Where the Wild Things Are." All proceeds benefit Outside In, a group that works with homeless youth.

Though Derrick has since moved on to a role as general manager at Raven & Rose, he'll still have the reins of the social and do another guest bartending gig at his new downtown restaurant's Rookery bar. Yes, he loves the Negroni that much.

"Seeing the bar community take time to raise money for charity is the best thing that my time working on this event could have rewarded me with," Derrick says.